Emergency Evacuation Plan and Procedures

What is an Emergency?

An emergency is an unforeseen event or condition requiring prompt action. Emergencies
at Middlesex Community College can be generally classified as medical emergencies,
fire/fire alarm emergencies, and public safety emergencies & environmental emergencies.
Emergency conditions either affect an individual, a small group or the entire college.
In the case they affect the entire College they typically involve the evacuation of
the campuses.

Campus EvacuationThere are many reasons a campus may have to be evacuated. The most common reason for
evacuation is due to fire alarm activation. Other reasons for evacuating a campus
include, but are not limited to a bomb threat, environmental condition or a physical
threat. When you are asked to evacuate the facility by Public Safety personnel, law
enforcement or the fire alarm sounds:

Collect all personal belongings including book bags, jackets, brief cases, etc. Why?
Because you can't count on returning to the building and in the case of a bomb threat
such items would be considered suspicious and handled as a possible "device".

Immediately leave the building following any verbal instructions and follow the evacuation
route posted adjacent to the primary classroom exit door.

Faculty should assign someone to provide assistance in assuring students with disabilities
are directed to the evacuation point.

Faculty should turn off all gas and electrical appliances. The lights should be left
on, the corridor door closed and left unlocked.

Upon exiting the building move well away from the building. This will prevent a "log
jam" of people at the entranceway and allow the fire department swift access.

Re-entry: The College public safety personnel shall notify you when it is safe to
return to the building.

We recommend that faculty review the evacuation procedure with their class at the
beginning of each semester. Students should also take time to review the evacuation
route posted next to the primary classroom exit door.

We recommend that students with disabilities identify themselves to a faculty member
if they feel they may require assistance during an evacuation. Together they can formulate
an evacuation plan. Under no circumstances are the elevators to be used when a fire
alarm is sounding.

Emergency Drills, Testing and Evacuation Procedures

The purpose of evacuation drills is to prepare building occupants for an organized
evacuation in case of an emergency. At Middlesex Community College, evacuation drills
are used as a way to educate and train students, faculty and staff. During the drill,
students, faculty and staff ‘practice’ drill procedures and familiarize themselves
with the location of exits and the sound of the fire alarm. In addition to education,
the process also provides MCC with the opportunity to test the operation of fire alarm
system components.

Evacuation drills are coordinated by the Department of Public Safety & the Environmental
Health & Safety Officer. In all buildings, emergency exits signs are provided to give
guidance on the direction people should travel when exiting each building for a short-term
building evacuation. In academic buildings, evacuation maps are posted on the wall
next to the classroom doors and in administrative buildings the evacuation maps are
located along the corridors. MCC does not tell individuals in advance about the designated
locations for long-term evacuations because those decisions are affected by time of
day, location of the building being evacuated, the availability of the various designated
emergency gathering locations on campus, and other factors such as the location and
nature of the threat. Staff on the scene will communicate information to individuals
regarding the developing situation or any evacuation status changes. Fire drills are
typically scheduled during the early start of the fall & spring semesters.

MCC conducts announced and unannounced drills and exercises each year and conducts
follow-through activities designed for assessment and evaluation of emergency plans
and capabilities.